Exhibitors – Find your GES show
Deliver extraordinary exhibition experiences through simple, user-friendly services and best-in-class execution.
Connecting people to experiences, innovation, and one another.
Trust each other to always be honest and do what is right.
Be responsible for our actions and deliver on our commitments.
People come first. Be understanding and compassionate.
Provide excellent service and execution.
At GES, our purpose is simple - to create memorable experiences. Whether you are an exhibitor or organizer, an event planner, one of our valued partners, or an attendee, creating extraordinary events is in our DNA.
1926 - 1930
1926 - Motor Transit Corporation is incorporated
1930 - Motor Transit Corporation is renamed The Greyhound Corporation "Greyhound"
1939 - 1970
1939 - Manncraft, a sign, window, and small exhibit company, was founded in Kansas City
1950's - Manncraft created an Exhibitor Service Division and expanded to Omaha, Miami, Tampa, Atlanta & New Orleans
1969 - The Greyhound Corporation purchased Manncraft and changed the name to Greyhound Exhibition Services = GES
1970 - The Greyhound Corporation acquired Armour & Company (Armour-Dial)
1973 - 1987
1973 - Purchased Las Vegas Convention Service Company
1974 - Purchased Stuart-Sauter Company in San Francisco
1975 - Purchased Wernecke Studios in Chicago
1979 - Manncraft changed its name to Greyhound Exposition Services
1987 - Electrical Division serviced companywide both Show Organizer and Exhibitors
1990 - 1993
1990 - Purchased Rowan Northwestern Decorators and Northwest Exhibit Drayage Company (NEDCO) in Seattle
1990 - Purchased Decorators West, Classic Decorating, and Pacific Exposition Drayage Company (PEDCO) in Portland
1992 - Headquarters moved to Las Vegas – offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Portland, Reno, Palm Springs – over 500 full-time staff
1993 - Purchased United Exposition Service Company to expand nationwide. Changed name from Greyhound Exposition Services to GES Exposition Services to reflect the “new GES.” Also upgraded equipment across the company
1993 - Purchased Andrews, Bartlett & Associates, a significant contractor based in Hudson, Ohio, expanded GES back into the East & Central USA
1993 - Purchased Gelco Convention Services based in Miami with offices also in Orlando
1994 - 1999
1994 - Enhanced electrical services by acquiring Expo-Tech Electrical and Plumbing renamed division Tradeshow Electrical (TSE)
1995 - Expanded into Canada with purchase of Panex Show Services and Stampede Display and Convention Services – offices in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton
1995 - Purchased Concept Convention Services with offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and Albuquerque
1996 - Purchased Canada Exposervice and Clarkson-Conway in Montreal.
1998 - Purchased Canada Ainsworth’s Show Services Electrical – now known as SHOWTECH Power & Lighting
1998 - Purchased ESR in New York/New Jersey
1999 - Purchased Tradeshow and Convention Services in Seattle
2004 - 2008
2004 - Added to Canada Divisions Pro Show Services in Alberta & Saskatchewan
2007 - The Canadian team expanded by purchasing Poitras Exposition Services in Quebec City
2007 - Viad acquired in the United Kingdom Melville Exhibitions and Event Services Limited
2006 - Melville expanded to Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC)
2008 - Viad acquires Becker Group Ltd. – an Experiential Marketing Company
2008 - Melville became a full-service provider in Abu Dhabi
2010 - 2016
2010 - Merged Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (EG), Becker Group, and GES Exposition Services. The name changed to “Global Experience Specialists” to reflect our new global team after GES merged with our sister company Exhibitgroup/Giltspur. The spirograph was introduced to our logo.
2014 - Blitz Communications – Audio Visual Services United Kingdom
2014 - onPeak and Travel Planners – United States Accommodations provider for events
2014 - Visit by GES - European leader in event registration and data services
2016 - ON Events Services – US Event & AV provider – new name ON Services – a GES company
2017 - 2022
2017 - Poken – Europe-based company that provides a cloud-based visitor engagement and measurement platform.
2018 - Global Experience Specialists is shorted to GES
2020 - Global Pandemic
2022 - Spiro is created from the spirograph and with a nod to Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (EG), the acquired company that brought the spirograph and the corporate accounts division to GES.